Method of and apparatus for crystallizing oils and fats



H. H DOERING. .METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR CRYSTALLIZING OILS AND FATS.

APPLCAION FILED FEB.16! |920. I' 1,426, 555 Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

il er raras moraine,

HENRY IH. DOERING, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 1922.'

Application led February 16, 1920. Serial No. 359,024.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. DOERING, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Method of and Apparatus for Crystallizing Oils and Fats, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of my specification.

My invention relates toa method of treating or crystallizingy animal fats and vegetable oils which are more particularly employed in the manufacture of olemargarine and various otherbutter substitutes; aswell as to the treatment or cooling of lard; the invention also pertaining to an improved apparatus or means for `carrying out the method; one object of the invention being to provide an apparatus whereby the treatment or cooling may be more quickly effected and better and finer crystals provided.

'One purpose of my invention is to provide an apparatus adapted to carry out my improved method whereby the hot vegetable oils, animal fats, or hot lard, will be intro'- duced into the reservoir or receptacle containing a cooling'medium and subjected to or forced through the cooling medium or cold water by the action of and in conjunction with compressed air; with the result that the oils or fats are more uniformly broken'up into minute particles through the action of the air and cooling medium; the

apparatus causing the oils or fats to be forcibly injected preferably'. at the bottom of the tank of cooling medium, which/usually consists of ice water. As a result of my improved method, the oils or fats are not only more quickly cooled butliner and better crystals are provided; while my improved apparatus tends to keep the particles of crystallized oils or fats as well as the l cooling medium or water in 'constant circulation; and as a result of the `injected air under pressure and the constant circulation of the cooling medium produced thereby the cooling water is maintained at a lower temperature than would otherwise be the case.

The objects and advantages of my invention will be readily comprehended from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawin of means for putting my improved metho in to ractice.

Figure 1 is a top p an View of my improved apparatus, with an intervening portion thereof shown broken away.

Figure 2-is a vertical, sectional view,taken at the left-hand end of the construction disclosed in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional View of por-` ed of wood so as not to have deleterious effect on the oils or fats.

The tank or receptacle 10,- preferably at one end thereof, is provided with a suitable conduit or feed-pipe 11, which is preferably made funnel shape at its upper end to` facilitate the introduction of the heated oils, or fats. This conduit or pipe 11 preferably extends vertically to a point near the bottom of the receptacle 10, where it enters or is provided with a suitable coupling 12, shown somewhat in the nature of a T-connection into which the heated oils or fats will be conveyed. The heated oils or fats may be fed in any suitable -manner into the open funnel shaped upper end of the iconduit 11 and caused to flow down.-

wardly into the coupling 12 in advance of the discharge thereof into the cooling medium or cold water with which the tank or receptacle is provided; the oils or fats being discharged through the open extended end 13 with which the coupling or connection 12 is preferably provided.

The rear or opposite end of coupling or connection 12 is provided with a closure member 14: throu h which a tube or conduit 15 is disposed preferably substantially at the longitudinal center line of the' coupling or connection 12; the tube 15 extending to a point beyond the point where the conduit or pipe 11 discharges into the coupling 12. The outer end of tube or pipe 15,

4which is disposed through the closure member 14:, has connection, by means of elbow 16 with a conduit 17 which leads to the top of the tank or'receptacle. 4The conduit 17 and connections constitute an air-line which is intended to lead to a suitable supply of compressed air; the line 17 being provided at any convenient point with a valve as at 18 for controlling the flow of air through said line. rlhe oil or fat-feeding conduit or pipe 1l is shown preferably provided with an outer shell or tube 19 of greater diameter than that of pipe 11 so as to leave an intervenin air space within conduit 19; said conduit eing open at'its upper end and disposed above the top of thetank or receptacle 10, while the lower end thereof is sultably connected with the coupling or connection 12 so as to provide a fluid-tight joint. therewith. The closure member 14 is prov1ded with a suitable number of apertures 20, preferably disposed concentrically about tube 1'5 whereby the water or cooling medium is permitted to flow in small streams` or 'ets into the coupling or connection 12 rom what may be termed the closed or rear end thereof 'and caused to min le with the oil or fat and compressed air ischarging through the extended end 13. The bottom of the tank or receptacle 10, at a point slightly forward or in advance of the dischargin end 13` of coupling 12, is shown provide with a ledge or baille 21 having an upwardly incliningsurface presented in the path of the forcibly discharged oils or fats and water coming from the outlet 13 of connection 12. This ledge'or baille 2l will induce the discharged mass to flow upwardly toward the top and opposite end of the tank or receptacle.

My invention contemplates and is 1invtended for the treatment or crystallization of vegetable oils or animal fats, as more especially used in the manufacture of oleomargarine and vari us other butter substitutes, as well as for he treatment and cooling of lard ;v and the steps of the method and the `operation of the apparatus consist in feeding the hot oils, fats or lard, through the conduit 11 whereby it is conveyed to the coupling'12 at the bottom of the tank or receptacle, which latter has previously been provided with a suitable quantity of cold water. Simultaneously with'the feeding of the hot oils or fats into the conof compressed air to flow through pipe or duit or pipe 11, valve 18 in air-line 17 is operated so as to permit a suilicient quantity conduit 17 and be discharged through tube 15 at a pomt preferably in advance of the -points where'the hot oils or fats enter cou- 12. 'The action of the/compressed air pling will induce the hot oils or fats, with the minute quantities of cold water entrained through apertures 20, tol be forcibly discharged intothe bottom ofthe tank Aof cold water where it willl encounter the upwardly inclining baille 21 which tends to force the small crystallized particles of oil or fats to move toward the opposite upper end of the receptacle 0r tank 10. The action of the compressed air discharging into coupling 12 will also cause the oil or fat to rap1dly` employed; and also a more rapid cooling of the crystals effected. By providing the feed-pipe or conduit 11 with a larger shell o'r sleeve 19, the inlowing hot oils or fats will not freeze or congeal'within the feedpipe or conduit 112 because of the air space provided about sa1d feed pipe or conduit; at nthe same time a rapid ilow of the oils or fats will yalso be induced through the. suction action created by the discharge 0f compressed airiinto the coupler or discharge connection 12 rearward of the discharge orifice of said connection 12, thereby preventing any coagulation within the conduit or pipe 11 and therefore preventing any clogging up of the feed-pipe or conduit The tank or receptacle 10, at the end where the introducing -conduits are located, is provided with a deflector or splash plate 22, which extends from the conduit 19 at a point intermediate of its ends, namely a point below the normal water .level in the tank, in a divergin or flaring manner to ward the top :of tile tank, where the deflector is suitably secured to the walls of the tank. rlhe object of the deflector is to force the air and oil crystals to travel longitudinally of the tank toward the opposite end thereof.`

A further object of thev dellector or splash plate 22 is to prevent the air bubbles rising at a point immediately above the discharge end 18, from bursting` upward throught e cooling medium or water and thereby caus-l 30 pressed air conduit extending into said laterof the water, with the result that a more rapid cooling` of the oil crystals is brought about.

The apparatus herein shown and described for carrying out my improved method I believe to be the simplest and best adaptation, butit may be modified in certain respects without, however, departing from the spirit of the invention and without affecting the method herein presented.

What I claim is l. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a water-holding receptacle, an oil or fat feed-pipe extending into and toward the bottom of the receptacle, means for admitting minute quantities of water at the discharge end of said feed-pipe, 'and a compressed air conduit communicating with the dischar e end of said feed-pipeso as to cause the sma l quantities of water to flow in contact with the oil and the commingled oil and water to be ejected with the air into the cooling wat'er of said receptacle.

2. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a water-holding receptacle,a hot oil or fat feed-pipe extending into the lreceptacle and terminating near the bottom thereof in a laterally disposed discharge provided withsmall apertures in advance of the discharge orifice of the pipe, and a comal'ly disposed discharge of the oil or fat feedplpe to a point in` advance of the point of entry of the oil or fat into said discharge, relative to the orifice thereof.

3. An apparatus of the-class described, comprising a water-holding receptacle, a hot o1l or fat feed-pipe extending into the receptacle and terminating nearthe bottom thereof in a laterally disposed/discharge,- a compressed air conduit extending into said laterally disposed discharge to a point in advance of the point of entry of the oil or fat 1nto said discharge, relative to the orifice thereof, and deflecting meansl arranged in the receptacle in the path of the discharged crystals of oil or fat and air.

4. The method of crystallizing oils, fats and the like, whigh consists in introducing a stream of hot oil or fat at the bottom of' a body of cold water, and discharging a jet of Y compressed air adjacent the point of oil introduction so astocause the oils or Ifats to be broken up into small particles or crystals. 5. An apparatus ofi the class described,

comprising a tank or water-holding recepitacle, an oil feed-pipe leading toward the bottom of the tank or receptacle and. terminating in a laterally disposed discharge, a compressed air-line extending into the tank and terminating in the laterally disposed discharge of said feed-pipe so that the oil will be forced into the water and broken into small particles. and caused to crystallize, and

means whereby the oilJ or fat particles are .receptacle and terminating near the bottom the tankbelow the top thereof and terminating in a laterally disposed discharge, and a compressed air conduit communicating with said feed-pipe discharge inadvance of the oil discharge therein, relative tothe discharge orifice,'so as to cause the oil to be entrained therewith and to be forcibly ejected intov the water.

7. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a walter-holding receptacle, a hot oil or fat feed-pipe extending into the receptacle and terminating near the bottom thereof in a laterally disposed discharge, a compressed air conduit extending into said laterally disposed discharge to a point in advance of the point of entry of the oil or fat into said discharge, relative to the discharge orifice thereof, a baffle member disposed in said receptacle in proximity tothe discharge orifice of said laterally isposed discharge, and deflecting means arranged adjacent to the top of the receptacle whereby the rising oil and air globules or crystals are deflected toward the opposite end of the receptacle.

8. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a water-holding, receptacle, a hot oil or fatfeed-pipe extending into the in a laterallyv disposed discharge, said discharge lbeing provided with a plurality of. small apertures in advance of the' discharge orifice, andl a compressedvair conduit extending into said laterally disposed .discharge to a point in advance of said yapertures and thezpoint of' entry of the oil or fat into'said dischar e, relative to the discharge vorifice thereof-K, a bafiie member dis. posed in said receptacle in proximity tothe discharge orifice of the laterally isposed discharge.

9.,An apparatus kof the class described, comprising a water-holding receptacle, a hot oil or fat feed-pipe extending) into the receptacle and terminating at its a laterally disposed discharge, said discharge being provided withfa plurality of small apertures in advance of the discharge ottom in j l0. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a Water-holding receptacle, a. hot oil or fat feed-pipe extending into the receptacle at one end thereof and terminating at its bottom in a laterally disposed discharge, said discharge being provided With a plurality of small apertures at a point rearward of the point Where the oil or fat enters said laterally disposed discharge, an air jacket disposed about said feed-pipe intermediate of the upper end and the discharge end thereof, a compressed air conduit extending into said laterally disposed discharge to a point in advance of. said ceptacle and disposed from said feed-pipe toward the opposite end of the receptacle whereby the rising oil and air globules or crystals are deflected toward the opposite end of the receptacle.

S' HENRY H. DoERiNG.

`Witnesses:

(Jl. HEIDMAN, F, A. FLORELL. 

